Richard Gasquet had his drug ban reduced after the International Tennis Federation found he had inadvertently taken cocaine by kissing a woman known only as 'Pamela'. Photograph: Tiziana Fabi/AFP/Getty Images

Richard Gasquet is waiting on the results of a police investigation that could have a major impact on the tennis authorities' decision last month to give him a reduced drugs ban.

An independent tribunal set up by the International Tennis Federation gave Gasquet a much reduced two-month-and-15-day ban after he tested positive for cocaine. The ITF accepted his claim that he had "inadvertently" taken on the drug when kissing at length a woman, identified only as "Pamela", in a nightclub.

Alongside his defence to the ITF Gasquet also complained to police, claiming he had been "administered a noxious substance" unknowingly. Police followed up the complaint, taking hair samples from "Pamela" in June for independent testing at a laboratory.

Although the test results have yet to be returned, that did not prevent the ITF from concluding that: "On the balance of probability [Gasquet was] contaminated with cocaine by Pamela."

"Pamela" has now brought a legal complaint of her own against Gasquet, claiming she has been defamed by the former world No7's description of her in the ITF hearing through which she believes she was easily identified. "My client has been dragged through the mud," said her lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou. "She has become an alibi."

"Pamela" says she did not take cocaine and adds that, when negative tests are returned from the laboratory, as she maintains they will be, she reserves the right to pursue the ITF for what she perceives as complicity in the alleged defamation.

Miliband's weather report

Ed Miliband might have squandered his opportunity to deliver a hard-hitting message to cricket fans about climate change after being given a platform in the programme to the fourth Ashes Test at Headingley. The secretary of state for climate change's underlying point that Test-playing nations around the world face devastation with shifting weather patterns is important. But given that day three of the second Test at Edgbaston was a complete washout, his statement that "the Met Office tells us that Edgbaston and the West Midlands [will] lose a quarter of their summer rainwater" might just be interpreted as good news.

Bose successors line up

Mihir Bose, the BBC's first sports editor, has resigned. Bose refused to sign up to the BBC sports department's controversial move to Salford in 2011, believing it not to have been a condition of his job when he joined three years ago from the Daily Telegraph. But as its first sports editor, Bose had been expected to carry the Beeb's sports coverage through to London 2012, and the breakdown in the relationship is seen as an admission that he was the wrong appointment, and one which at the time caused friction among staff. Being passed over led the highly respected Adam Parsons to quit and become director of communications at the British Olympic Association, but long-serving BBC men such as James Munro and James Pearce will now have high hopes of succeeding Bose. Also in the running will be the former Setanta and Sky Sports News chief reporter, Dan Roan, and BBC London's Olympics correspondent, Adrian Warner.

Fiszman empire grows

Jobs for the boys at Arsenal. Fans have spotted a certain Marc Fiszman listed in the club's official membership yearbook as working for Sidan Media, the handbook's publishers, as chief operating officer. As the name suggests, he is the son of Danny Fiszman, who until recently was the club's largest shareholder and its driving force on the board. Since the former vice-chairman David Dein was at such pains to deny involvement of his lawyer son, Darren, in Arsenal transfers, the club might have been expected to make every effort to avoid any perception of nepotism.

Zola and fans in hot water

Gianfranco Zola has a reputation as a man of the people, and proved as much during West Ham United's trip to Beijing for the Premier League Asia Trophy. A group of 20 travelling West Ham fans were staying in the same five-star hotel as the teams and league officials. But far from be sniffy about such mingling, Zola, pictured left, went as far as to jump in the Jacuzzi with fans, happily discussing football. One subject the Hammers manager refused to countenance, however, was Eidur Gudjohnsen's possible transfer from Barcelona to Upton Park, for fear it might get in the papers and prejudice the deal. Whatever gave him that idea?